Hide completed tasks in a shared Smartsheet by using a filter

Hide Completed Tasks Without Losing Data: Mariela’s Simple Filter Trick in Smartsheet

If you’ve ever shared a project sheet with teammates, you’ve probably noticed how quickly a tidy view turns into a jumble. Completed tasks linger in sight, comments pile up, and suddenly the sheet feels less like a pulse on the work and more like a memory dump. That’s where a smart, low-friction solution comes in: create and share a filter that hides those finished items. It’s not about deleting history or rearranging who can see what—it's about keeping the focus on what’s still in flight.

Let me explain why this approach is so effective. A filter is like a pair of sunglasses for your data. It lets you mark criteria (for example, “Status is not Completed”) and then view only the items that meet that criteria. The tasks that are done? They’re still there, recorded, verifiable, and ready for reference. But they disappear from day-to-day view. No drama, just clarity. This is especially handy in a shared project tracking sheet where stakeholders care most about ongoing work and upcoming milestones.

The core idea is simple, but the impact is real. Instead of changing who can see what (which can slow things down or create permission headaches), you tailor what’s visible. And because you can share the same filter with your team, everyone stays aligned on what matters now.

Step-by-step: Create and share a filter that hides completed tasks

Here’s a straightforward way to implement Mariela’s approach. You can follow these steps in most Smartsheet layouts, and you’ll have a focused, up-to-date view in minutes.

1. Open the shared sheet and locate the Filters area

• In the Smartsheet toolbar, look for the Filters option. If you’re in a layout that uses a filter panel, you’ll see “New Filter” or a similar command. It’s not hidden behind menus; it’s meant to be accessible to keep you productive.

2. Create a new filter

• Click to create a new filter. Give it a clear name like “Active Tasks” or “Open Work.” Think of a name that your team will instantly recognize when they’re looking for the right view.

3. Define the criteria

• The key decision is the right condition. In most sheets, you’ll set:

• Field: Status (or your sheet’s equivalent that marks task state)

• Condition: does not equal (or is not) Completed

• If your team uses multiple status labels (e.g., “In Progress,” “Waiting on someone,” “Blocked”), you can refine further:

• Status does not equal Completed

• Or add more granularity: Status is One of In Progress, Not Started, or Blocked — depending on what you want visible

• The exact wording might look like: Status does not contain “Completed.” The important thing is that completed tasks do not meet the filter’s criteria.

4. Save the filter

• After you’ve configured the criteria, save the filter. This makes the view reusable and quick to apply in the future. The saved filter becomes a dedicated view you can switch to with a single click.

5. Share the filter with stakeholders

• Here’s the neat part: you can share this view with others who need to see the same, focused data. In Smartsheet, there’s usually a way to share or publish a filter so teammates can apply it, or you can send a link that opens the sheet already filtered. The goal is consistency—so everyone starts from the same vantage point without having to recreate the view individually.

6. Apply and observe

• Once the filter is shared, open the sheet in a shared view and confirm that completed tasks stay out of sight. You should see only the ongoing work, upcoming milestones, and anything else you deem relevant.

Why this beats other options

In Mariela’s case, this approach is the sweet spot between visibility and record-keeping. Let’s compare the common alternatives and why they aren’t as effective for the goal of a clean, ongoing view:

• Creating and sharing a report

• Reports are fantastic when you want a cross-sheet snapshot—aggregating data, pulling together metrics, and providing a broader narrative. But if the need is to clean the single sheet’s view for day-to-day work with stakeholders, a report can feel heavy. It adds steps, and you’re not just changing what’s visible; you’re generating an external artifact. Filters keep the day-to-day sheet pristine while still offering a crisp view to the right people.

• Deleting the completed tasks

• Deletion is a blunt instrument. You lose historical context, audit trails, and the ability to review decisions or outcomes later. If a task finished two weeks ago, you may want to reference it when a stakeholder asks, “Why did we approach X this way?” Keeping completed tasks in the sheet but hidden avoids the guilt of erasure and preserves a complete project story.

• Changing the permissions of stakeholders

• Permissions changes address access, not visibility. Even if someone can’t open the sheet, they’ll miss the dynamic signal of what’s in flight when you’re all co-working in real time. A filter gives you precise visibility control without complicating access levels or creating friction for collaborators who only need to see what matters now.

A quick note on the Smartsheet ecosystem

Filters are part of Smartsheet’s power toolkit, alongside reports and sheet-level permissions. Here’s how they work in a broader sense:

• Filters tailor what you see in a sheet. They don’t alter data; they alter perception. You’re choosing which rows are in your current view based on rules you set.

• Reports pull data from multiple sheets. They’re great when a project spans several teams or files and you want a consolidated dashboard. They’re less handy for stamping a single sheet with a clean daily view, especially when you want quick, consistent sharing.

• Permissions specify who can edit, view, or share. They matter, but they don’t automatically filter what’s visible on screen. A filter is often a faster, more flexible way to guide the eye.

A few practical tips to keep the flow smooth

• Name matters. Pick clear, consistent filter names. When you have several sheets or projects, a concise label (like “Active Tasks – Marketing Website” or “Open Actions – Q4 Rollout”) saves time and avoids confusion.

• Keep statuses consistent. If you’re using a Status field, make sure everyone aligns on the exact text you’re filtering (e.g., “Completed,” “In Progress”). Inconsistent labeling can lead to completed tasks slipping back into view.

• Add a touch of color for quick recognition. If your sheet uses color coding to indicate status, you can pair that with the filter so the visible tasks not only show up but also pop visually for fast scanning.

• Consider a secondary filter for exceptions. Sometimes you’ll want to see urgent tasks that are still marked as Completed by accident. A secondary, easily switchable filter can let you toggle these rare cases without changing the main view.

• Keep the shared view updated. As projects evolve, statuses change and new tasks are added. It’s a good habit to review the filter criteria periodically to ensure it still reflects the team’s intent.

A little context and a lot of practicality

Let’s bring this back to a real-world vibe. Imagine Mariela’s team is juggling content releases, bug fixes, and feature tweaks. The last thing anyone needs is a wall of completed items distracting from what’s next. By using a filter, Mariela creates a living, breathable canvas: what’s in motion is front and center; what’s done quietly sits in the background, still accessible if someone asks, but not in the way.

That balance—clarity without erasing history—sits at the heart of effective project management. It’s not about removing noise; it’s about surfacing signal. People can comment, plan, and decide based on the current reality of work, not on a long-forgotten to-do list.

A few broader reflections that often help teams embrace the approach

• The human brain loves boundaries. We feel lighter when data doesn’t look crowded. A clean view reduces cognitive load, which means faster decisions and less fatigue in long planning sessions.

• Consistency builds trust. When stakeholders know there’s a business-rule filter guiding what they see, they don’t question why certain items are visible or invisible. It’s a simple, shared practice.

• You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time. Once you’ve set up a sensible filter and shared it, you can reuse it across sprints or different projects with similar structures. The initial setup pays dividends in the long run.

In short: the right filter is a quiet superhero

Mariela’s choice to create and share a filter isn’t flashy, and that’s precisely why it works. It respects the data, it respects the audience, and it respects the workflow. It keeps the sheet clean, the focus sharp, and the conversation grounded in what’s happening now.

If you’re exploring Smartsheet for your own team, try this approach on a current project. Name the filter something obvious. Define a simple rule that excludes Completed tasks. Save it. Share it so teammates can apply the same view. Then step back and watch how a well-curated sheet changes the tempo of your discussions—from “What’s done?” to “What’s next?”

And if you ever feel tempted to take a harsher route—like deleting tasks or flipping permissions—pause. Remember: data history is part of your project’s story, and a filter can keep the story legible without erasing any chapter. The goal isn’t perfection in a single moment; it’s clarity over time, with a practical, friendly tool at your fingertips.

If you’d like, I can tailor this guidance to a specific Smartsheet layout you’re using—different fields, different status labels, or even a quick checklist you can share with your team. After all, the best tips are the ones that feel almost custom-made for your day-to-day work.